Gloria looked at Lillian meaningfully.
"You threaten me with the Carter Group?" "Gloria, sue me. By then, the whole world will know that the Carter Group is an empty shell. You will lose everything. Then, can you still question me with such an attitude?" Lillian hated Gloria so much. She thought with hatred, 'Gloria had once been so humble, yet she lived a better life than me after three years! She is so low and cheap. How can she surpass me?' "You are actually good at nothing! You inherited your father's property. Everything you own belonged to your family, and you robbed it from them. Gloria, you are not only lowly but also vicious. You don't even let go of your family!" The more Lillian spoke, the more emotional she became. Dexter's hand was trembling, and he slapped Lillian. "What nonsense are you talking about? Miss Carter has said that she wouldn't pursue the matter. Why are you still making a scene?" Lillian suddenly went madAt midnight, the temperature dropped abruptly. Gloria woke up when she heard the noise. She listened carefully and found that it was the sound of Patrick rubbing his clothes. She sat up quietly and looked under the bed. She found it strange. Sleeping on the sofa in the living room was much better than sleeping on the floor in her bedroom. If it were Gloria, she would rather choose to sleep on the sofa. Patrick was trembling all over. He wrapped his hands around his body and curled into a ball. "Are you awake?" In the darkness, Gloria asked slowly in a calm voice. The bedroom was silent. No one responded to her. "Stop pretending to sleep," Gloria said lightly. After a while, Patrick finally turned over. He opened his eyes in embarrassment and looked at Gloria. "Gloria," He called out in a low voice to show that he was awake. On the bed, Gloria moved. She said, "My feet are cold." Patrick immediately
"Patrick!" Gloria pushed Patrick away, and the quilt fell to the ground. She glared at Patrick's lower body under the pajamas and shouted, "What are you doing?" "Gloria, I couldn't bear it," Patrick said with a flushed face. Looking at his innocent face, Gloria was even more furious. With a cold face, she got out of bed without saying a word. She ignored Patrick and went to the bathroom. She scolded herself inwardly as she walked, 'I was such an idiot. How could I allow Patrick to sleep on the bed?' When Gloria thought of what had just happened, she kept wiping her hand against her pajamas, until her skin was rubbed red. After washing up, she returned to the room. But Patrick was still there. "Why are you still here?" Patrick stared at her with his innocent eyes. He leaned against the wall at a loss and panted slightly. "I feel hot, Gloria. I couldn't bear it." Gloria clenched her fists. She knew why he was feel
In a room near the luxurious banquet hall stood a man and a woman. "Relax," Lucas, in a light-colored suit, approached Gloria's ear and whispered. Gloria took a small step back, yet no matter how imperceptible her movement was, Lucas still noticed keenly. He took a few steps back gentlemanly and said with a chuckle, "Gloria, just relax." She clenched her fists, feeling the sticky sweat in her palms. Of course, she would be nervous. The person she was about to meet was very important to the Carter Group. "Actually, there's no need to hurry. He comes here every year for a holiday, and usually, he will be staying for a month or so." Lucas' voice was elegant and deep like a cello. "So, Gloria, you really don't need to see him right after you get off the plane." She shook her head. Even now, her heart was still a mess. After what happened that time, she fled without telling anyone. Only she knew what she was running away from.
Gloria and Klein left, leaving only Heath and Lucas in the large reception room. "Is it her? The reason why were you willing to owe me a favor and have me fly here? Is she that important?" Heath gracefully walked to the bar counter and poured himself a glass of whiskey. "Another glass?" He raised the glass to Lucas and gestured. "She is someone I desperately want to be with, someone I want to just keep for myself." He did not know how important Gloria was to Lucas. "Mike wanted me to ask you if that person is OK," Lucas said, changing the topic. "Mike? After all these years, he still hasn't moved on? I always thought that Mike was the only guy who wouldn't let go. But now that I see you, I know that you are screwed as well." Heath shook his head. Lucas did not explain. He chuckled and said, "Both you and Mike are so full of yourself, aren't you?" Heath gulped down the wine in his glass and suddenly said, "She is excellent." "
For the week after, Gloria locked herself in her room and worked on the project. Lucas would come to her from time to time. Sometimes, he would ask her to eat with him. Sometimes, he would just lie on her sofa and wait for her for the whole morning. He did not disturb her, and she had gotten used to his company as time passed by. Mandy did not call Gloria anymore. Instead, she contacted Gloria through text messages. Every day, she would tell Gloria that Patrick was fine. He ate well and was in good health. The Carter Group became partners with Heath. Such an outcome was both expected and unexpected. The moment the two parties signed the contract, Gloria was silent, her eyes lit up all of a sudden as if the thing that she had been waiting for a long time had finally been completed. It was also at this moment that she seemed to have no reason to continue staying here. "Thank you, Lucas." She thought, 'He helps me a lot. Without Heath,
Gloria struggled fiercely, trying to break free from his arms. "I don't understand what you are saying. The only thing I know is that I am doing great," she said angrily. "Doing great? Really? Gloria, stop lying to yourself! Are you really doing great? Gloria, are you sure of it?" Lucas blurted out, yet in the next second, he suddenly stopped. He forced himself to calm down, closed his eyes, and opened them again. When his hand touched her long hair, he stopped. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you really not living in the past? Then why do you still keep your hair long? Because of Patrick? Is he really that unforgettable?" Gloria's face turned ghastly pale in the blink of an eye. "Let go!" She panicked. She wanted to escape. In such a case, she wouldn't need to face it, so she wouldn't be in so much pain. Thus, she escaped. The moment she did so, a strong sense of unwillingness appeared in Lucas' eyes. Lucas wouldn't le
Gloria thought, 'What if I could go back in time? What if I get to choose again? I think I would still choose to work with Lucas because I had to keep the Carter Group going.' Gloria pulled out the chair and looked deeply at Lucas again. Then she turned around and left decisively. As he watched her walking away step by step, staggering, he said, "Gloria!" Lucas' deep voice was as magnificent as a cell, it echoed behind her. He looked at Gloria's back, ignoring the sudden sense of loss in his heart. He felt that he had lost something very important. He shouted at her, "The woman I choose will keep her hair long just for me! That woman will be the love of my life!" Gloria did not stop. She stood with her back to Lucas, and there was a smile on her delicate face. She said in a tender voice, "Good luck. And goodbye." At the dining table, Lucas put the last bit of pasta into his mouth. He chewed hard and closed his eyes.
Camille roared hysterically, "You can't be so heartless! In fact, the Carter Group and the Silver Spring Pack were both Harry's! He has given the Carter Group to you, and you just need to donate marrow to him, but why did you refuse time and time again? What else do you want? I will give you everything you want. Can you save Harry? I beg you." In the waiting room of the airport, Gloria sat alone in a corner. She seemed to be enduring something desperately, her body trembling. She clenched her fists and said through gritted teeth, "If you care about the Carter Group so much, take it!" She had already put too much effort into the messy Carter Group and did many things unwillingly. Everyone thought that she had taken advantage of the Carter family. "I don't believe that you are willing to give up on it. If you do, you are either a fool or a liar. You are just coaxing me." Camille mocked. Gloria closed her eyes and listened to Camille's voice
This meant he was giving her only one chance. If she refused, she would never be able to return home.Luana felt as if a heavy stone had settled in her heart, making it hard to breathe and preventing her from making a decision quickly.Dorian maintained his domineering posture, observing the shifting expressions on her face with a smug confidence, waiting leisurely for her response.Five minutes passed, and Luana took a deep breath before nodding. "Alright, I agree, but it's only a marriage in name."Dorian let out another faint sneer. "What else did you expect?"He picked up the diamond ring, nodded his chin, and gestured for Luana to extend her hand.Reluctantly, she stretched out her hand, and Dorian casually placed the ring on her right ring finger.After slipping the ring onto her finger, Dorian released her hand and looked into her eyes with his deep, dark gaze. "We go to the church tomorrow," he said.With that, he pocketed Dorothy's passport and turned to leave.Luana raised he
Luana stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her resemblance to Dorothy grew day by day, and fear began to gnaw at her heart.She had already been a stand-in once. How could she bear to become one again, especially for her sister?Accompanied by a caregiver, Luana visited a hair salon and had her hair extended to waist-length, styled in the familiar waves she once wore.Dorian said nothing when he saw her like this, but after she fell asleep, he took a pair of scissors and cut off her hair.Luana was terrified, nearly fainting from the shock.Dorian, however, propped his chin on his hand with a nonchalant expression and said, “Who said you can do that?”Luana gaped at him, unable to contain her frustration. "Dorian, are you crazy…?"Dorian let out a soft chuckle. "Only now figuring that out?"Speechless, Luana took a deep breath and tried to reason with him."I'm not Dorothy. I'm Luana. Can you stop d
Luana had long harbored such suspicions in her heart.If her mother had not passed away, Dorothy would not have had to flee with her across different places.Her mother and sister must have experienced some terrifying events back then.Thinking of how George had not mentioned her father once, Luana couldn't help but ask again, "And my father...?"Before she could finish, George spread his hands helplessly, "Sorry, that's all I know."Luana stopped pressing George for more information, but her gaze took on a more inquisitive hue.George, an internationally renowned cardiologist, had gone to such lengths for her sister—what exactly was their relationship?George placed the photo frame on the bedside table and, noticing Luana's scrutinizing look, guessed her thoughts."Dorothy and Dorian have been close friends of mine for many years..." he offered a brief explanation, yet said nothing of the conflict between Dorian and Doro
"After he replaced you, he saw a man being deeply affectionate toward you when he arrived."To ensure your sister's heart would only be yours, he secretly switched you out, letting your sister take your place in the cremation..."Once you were replaced, I found you hadn't suffered brain death and immediately rushed to save you, performing the heart transplant surgery..."Luana fell silent for a long while after George's account. So this was how she survived. She wasn't an orphan after all.She had a sister... A sister who had given her heart to save her.Yet, Luana still had many questions.She didn't understand why her sister had been fleeing with her abroad.And why, according to George, her sister was eager to end her life not just to save her but also to escape Dorian. What had happened between them that drove her sister to end her life to avoid him?Her face etched with confusion, Luana struggled to ask George, but he coul
When Luana heard the mechanical female voice again, she felt a wave of despair. Her tears flowed even more fiercely.She wanted to get up and rush back to them immediately, but she couldn't move at all...Dorian, seeing the urgency and despair in Luana's eyes, couldn't help and said, "You've been in a coma for two years. Maybe they've changed their phone numbers."His words kindled a flicker of hope in Luana. Yes, after being unconscious for so long, many things must have changed, and changing phone numbers was entirely possible.She forced herself to sit up, clinging to this hope, and asked Dorian again, "How... much longer... until I recover?"Dorian, casually playing with his phone, replied indifferently, "I'm not a doctor. How would I know?"Luana was taken aback by his words, tightly pursed her lips, and stopped bothering him.Dorian sat for a while, finding it dull, and got up to leave.That night, Luana's dreams were no
Dorian spoke slowly, "I respected her last wish. When you were sent to be cremated, I replaced you and transplanted her heart into your body. George said even with a new heart, you might not survive, but you did... Only... you survived, and she took your place, lying forever in the cold cemetery..."His eyes dimmed as he spoke, his entire being shrouded in sorrow.Luana was utterly confused, blinking to signal Dorian to continue.But Dorian fell silent. His gaze shifted to her heart area, a hint of regret surfacing in his eyes."Have you ever deeply loved someone?" he abruptly changed the subject, posing a strange question.This caused Luana to fall silent, her expression turning somber.She might have once, but when Cline let Runa answer her call on the day of her death, she had given up on that feeling entirely..."Was it the man named Albion?" Dorian asked further.Luana was startled, surprised that Dorian knew about Albion.
He set down the mirror, leaned back in the armchair, and propped his leg up, speaking with interest, "Luana, you're quite intriguing."Luana was taken aback. This man knew her name, indicating he knew her, yet she had no recollection of him. Who on earth was he?The man leaned forward slightly, his deep black eyes fixed intently on Luana's face. "Listen carefully, I am—"He paused, then his thin lips parted again. His clear voice reached Luana's ears, "Dorian Lamont."Dorian, Dorian... Luana searched her memory for this name but found nothing.She stared into his eyes, filled with confusion, eager to understand more.However, the man had no more to say. He rose and left the room.Shortly after he exited, a blonde, blue-eyed female caregiver entered.While assisting Luana in wiping her body, she chattered about something akin to a miracle, then left after cleaning up, without elaborating further.Once alone, Luana g
She quickly lowered her eyelashes, blocking out that scorching gaze.The man stared at her for a while, and upon noticing the flutter of her lashes, he confirmed she was truly awake.He straightened up, said nothing, and turned to leave, soon returning with an elderly man.The old man had golden hair and blue eyes, his head full of white hair. Dressed in a white suit, he looked spirited and elegant.The man led the elderly gentleman in, raised his slender finger, pointed at Luana on the bed, and asked with a frown, "George, how did she wake up?"George?Luana was taken aback. Eva had mentioned that Cline had contacted a renowned international heart specialist for her, and that expert was named George. Could this be him?George didn't respond to the man's question. Instead, he activated the medical equipment and began a full-body examination of Luana.His expression was focused, his eyes filled with disbelief.His reactio
Cline's face stiffened instantly. The body he had been barely holding together suddenly collapsed.Yes, Luana loved Albion, not him. What right did he have to stay here?He remembered how Luana had repeatedly asked him not to mess with her in the past...Since she despised him so much, if he didn't let Aibion be alone with her for a while, she would only hate him more.Thinking this, Cline slowly stood up and walked away without looking back.Calvert watched Cline's figure disappear, then turned back. He gently traced Luana's photo on the tombstone."Luana, forgive me for not telling him the truth—that you actually loved him... I just wanted to punish him for being so cruel to you... But please, don't blame me, okay?"With that, he kissed the tombstone one last time."Luana, I've passed the Coburn Group to my cousin and given all my personal assets to Clarissa. I... can come to stay with you now."Calvert took out